Linguistic Endeavors
by Vyren Rolar
Summary: Ivanova asks Lennier to teach her Minbari. Written as a request from someone on tumblr.


Thoughts of Delenn coursed through Lennier's mind as he adjusted the White Star's trajectory. Of course, thoughts of Delenn _always_ seemed to be coursing through Lennier's mind. He had accepted the fact that she was destined for another, but still...He did love her.

When his shift ended, he headed for the lift, intent on getting some food and then sleeping for perhaps four hours or so. Still very much lost in his thoughts, he practically ran into Commander Ivanova on her way to the bridge. "My apologies, Commander," he said, bowing slightly.

"Perfectly alright, Lennier. Get some rest; you've earned it." She patted his arm before stepping around him and heading for her chair. He stepped onto the lift, marvelling at the human tendency for casually intimate physical contact.

After sleeping for approximately three hours (he had been unable to quiet his mind for some time), the Minbari decided to go meditate for an hour or so by the airlock. He often found that a clear view of the stars was the best way to clear his thoughts.

Once again, he found himself coming face to face with the human commander. He nodded respectfully and attempted to resume his journey, but paused when she began to speak. "Lennier, I was just looking for you." Her hands were clasped behind her, her back ramrod straight as always. She bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, indicating that there was something rather important, but not too pressing, on her mind. It was interesting, the things one started to notice when one worked with someone on a regular basis.

"Yes, Commander? What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was wondering...you see, the only other frie-people I know who speak Minbari are Ambassador Delenn and Marcus, and, well, Delenn's so busy, and Marcus is insufferable, and, well…" Here she trailed off, one hand now rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yes, Commander?" He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly, beckoning her to continue.

She took a breath, steeling herself for what was to come. "I was wondering...if, when we get back...you could teach me to speak Minbari." She quickly returned to her military rest stance, decidedly not twisting her hands behind her back.

"Of course. I would be happy to assist you in such an endeavor. As you have considerably more responsibilities than I at present, perhaps you would like to decide upon a time and date to begin?"

Her breath hitched slightly on its way out; for some reason she had not expected it to be that easy. "Er...how does Wednesday at 1900 sound?"

"Excellent. Would you prefer to eat together, or separately?"

"Together is fine. We could-"

"Very well. I shall bring some traditional Minbari cuisine to your quarters at the agreed upon time. Now, if you would excuse me, I have a mere forty minutes until the beginning of my next shift, and I wish to meditate for at least thirty of those." He bowed, bringing his hands together in front of him, and proceeded to glide down the corridor.

Susan Ivanova was left standing there with her mouth hanging slightly open, feeling as though she had just been spun around by a miniature tornado, and wondering what the hell had just happened.

"And this is what again?"

"Flarn."

"And this?"

"Glomo fruit."

"Well they're both delicious. Is there a restaurant on the station that sells these? Because I need more."

Lennier chuckled. "The glomo fruit you can get in a number of places in the Zocalo, but as for the flarn, if you desire this particular taste experience to be repeated, I must be the one to prepare it. It is a traditional recipe used only by the Third Fane of Chu'Domo."

"Does each Fane have its own flarn recipe or something?" Ivanova speared another cube with something she was probably supposed to use as a chopstick and popped it in her mouth.

"Yes."

"Well then, you'll just have to make more. I might have to hire you as my personal chef. Like I said, delicious." She started on another slice of glomo.

"I would be honored," he said in complete sincerity.

She looked up, pausing mid-chew. "You know I was joking about the personal chef thing, right? Well, mostly joking…" She looked fondly at the food on her plate, then back up at her dinner companion. He smiled warmly at her.

They continued their friendly banter well into the night, starting somewhat guiltily when the computer informed them that it was 0100 hours and that the Commander had to be awake at 6. Lennier immediately began gathering the dishes and apologizing for keeping Ivanova up so late. "I am also sorry that we did not even begin to discuss-"

"Lennier-Lennier! It's fine. Really. You can start teaching me Minbari some other time. Maybe Saturday? I have the entire day off."

Rising, he nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps we could meet somewhere for lunch? And then commence the education process?"

She snorted her laughter, then rubbed her face and muttered something about needing to go to bed. "Thanks, Lennier. I had fun tonight. See you Saturday." She showed him to the door. He bowed to her before leaving.

On his way back to his quarters, Lennier realized that he had not thought of Delenn for the entire evening. _How odd_ , he thought.

"No, the pronoun goes here. No, here."

"Lennier, why in the world would you put a pronoun there?"

"Because that is where it goes."

"Lennier, sweetie, I speak six languages, eight if you count Earth and Centauri Sign Languages, and I am telling you, it is completely ridiculous to put a pronoun there. It just doesn't make sense."

"Susan, I speak twelve. That is where the pronoun goes." He spoke the sentence correctly in rapid Minbari, then again with her mistake in it.

"Oh...yeah, I guess it does make more sense your way."

"I am curious. Sweetie. Is that not a form of romantic endearment?"

She shoved his arm playfully. "Shut up, bonehead."

He blinked, then gently nudged her with his shoulder. "You first, pink-skin."

She looked at him with slight surprise; it had not escaped her that this was the first time he had initiated physical contact.

He met her eyes for a moment or two, then turned back to the paper in front of them. "And...and here, here you have misplaced both the pronoun and the adjective."

"Lennier, you have been spending a great deal of time with Commander Ivanova lately."

Lennier froze in the midst of filling out the paperwork before him. "I have, Ambassador."

"And what is the nature of this...contact?" He could _hear_ the grin in her voice, and so he found it completely unnecessary to look at anything but his writing utensil.

"Purely professional, I assure you."

"Oh? And here I thought you had begun courting the good Commander…"

"It is not like that!" Lennier responded, perhaps a little too quickly. He could feel his temperature beginning to rise, and he struggled for control. "I am teaching her to speak Minbari. Sometimes...sometimes we eat together, out of convenience, of course. That is all."

He could feel her gleeful facial expression in the very air. His paperwork was suddenly quite fascinating.

"I see. You will let me know if the nature of your relationship changes?"

"Of course."

"Mr. Garibaldi, may I ask you a question?"

"I believe you just did, Lennier. But outta the goodness of my heart, I'm gonna let you ask another one."

"Thank you. I was wondering...what does the human courtship ritual entail? How does one properly express romantic interest in a human female? Or must one wait for the female to initiate contact? What is-"

"Hoo boy, Lennier, slow down. One at a time, please." Garibaldi chuckled; though he knew the young Minbari was completely serious, he found the whole thing, well, cute, for lack of a better word. "First thing's first, if you're gonna go super formal on this, you're gonna have to tell me her religion and her national origin. Customs vary by culture, after all."

"I believe she practices Judaism and is from a place called Russia."

" _Ivanova_?"

If such a thing were possible, Lennier would have paled, and perhaps shrunk a few centimeters. He nodded, somewhat embarrassed.

Garibaldi rubbed his hand over his face, realizing that it was going to be a long damn night, for the both of them.

"Alright, here's what you gotta do. Or at least, here's what _I_ would do..."

Susan Ivanova frowned at herself in the mirror. Lennier's message had said that he wanted to try a human restaurant that had just opened up in the Zocalo, and that, as it was a rather upscale establishment, she should feel free to dress up. His writing had been an awkward mix of formal and colloquial, bringing a smile to her face that she hadn't been able to shake all day. She was fairly certain that Keffler was now worried about her mental health.

She had laid out a rather form-fitting black dress on her bed before her shower. It should have been on already, but she was still having difficulties with her hair. She just couldn't decide what to do with it...up, down, braid-she shook herself. This was Lennier. He wouldn't care. She finally settled on leaving it down, put on the dress, and set about trying to find her left shoe. Why was it always the left one?

The door chimed just as she located the bastard under her sofa. "Just a second!" She hobbled over to the door, putting her shoe on as she went.

When she saw him, she emitted a noise best described as a cross between a squeak and a gasp. Her hand flew to her mouth.

His brows knitted together. "Are you alright? Have I done something wrong?"

"No, no, you're fine, you're fine, it's just...I've never seen a Minbari in a tuxedo before."

"Is it...unpleasant?"

"No no no, you're adorable! It's just that...um...that's all…"she blushed as her voice faded.

"Here," he said, holding out a single red rose. "I brought this for you."

Her hand still at her mouth, she reached out for the flower with the other and brought it to her nose. "Thank you. I take it…" She took a deep breath. "I take it this is a date, then?"

"If...if that is permissible."

"Alright. Lead the way, then. I'm all yours."

The food was delicious, if overpriced. Lennier had offered to pay for her meal, which she had, of course, declined.

"I believe it is customary for human couples to hold hands or interlink arms while walking, is it not?"

"Well, yes, but I thought Minbari didn't really do public displays of affection."

"Do you enjoy the act?"

"Yes, I suppose I do."

He took her arm and placed it in his own. They walked like this, chatting, all the way to her quarters.

"May I come in?"

"What are you talking about? Of course you can. You've been in my quarters plenty of times before."

"Yes, but the context was different. I was told that it was 'good form' to ask permission, in cases such as this one."

She laughed. She did that quite a bit around him.

"Would you like any tea? I have pomegranate, peach, and chamomile."

"I have yet to try pomegranate. Perhaps some of that?"

She made two mugs. They sat together on the sofa and waited for their tea to steep.

"So, Lennier."

"Yes, Susan."

"How in the world did you-I mean-why-"

"Why have I attempted to change the nature of our relationship?"

"Yes. That. Answer that question."

He took a long sip of tea before answering. "In our time together, I have grown...quite fond of you. I had never really had feelings like these before, except for perhaps once, but...no, I should not explain it like that." He shook his head roughly. "Susan, I like you. I enjoy spending time in your company, and think about you often when we are apart. Sometimes, when I am alone in my quarters, I will turn to tell you something I find amusing, and when I find that you are not there, I am disappointed. You are...important to me." He looked at her, willing her to understand.

"You are crying! I am sorry I did not mean to offend you. Perhaps I should-"

"No, Lennier, you're fine. I just...sometimes humans cry a bit when they're happy. It's good, I promise." She chuckled a bit, and soon his laughter joined hers. He used his thumb to wipe a stray tear from her cheek.

"Would you like to dance?"

" _What_?"

"Would you like to dance?"

" _You_ can dance?"

"Yes. I learned last night."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she got up from the sofa. "Alright, bonehead, let's dance."

"It will be my pleasure, pink-skin. Computer, play musical selection Garibaldi-lambda-four."

"Garibaldi?"

"I told you. I learned to dance last night."

This earned another chuckle from the Commander, who suddenly found herself in the arms of a swaying Minbari. "This is an old Earth song, isn't it?"

"Yes. I believe it is entitled, 'Someone to Watch Over Me.' I can change it, if you like."

"No, no, it's fine. I like it."

He pulled her a little closer, moving her rather expertly in time with the music.

"I forgot what it was like to dance with someone who knows how to lead. You said you just learned last night?"

"Indeed. Are you having fun yet?"

She laughed once more. "Yes. Thank you."

Eventually, the song ended. He used the hand that wasn't on her waist to brush a lock of hair out of her face. He lingered there, following the contours of her jawline with his fingers. Her breathing quickened slightly.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hello," he replied.

"Don't...ah...don't Minbari have all sorts of rituals and traditions that go along with courting?"

"Yes."

"Then why…?"

He smiled. "I found myself with the surprisingly clear notion that the great Susan Ivanova was not one for heavy ritual. I thought that following human custom would allow you to be more...comfortable."

"Lennier, has anyone ever told you that you're sweet?"

"You are the first. While I would love to continue this activity for several more hours, both of us must work tomorrow, and it is already very nearly that."

"Nearly what?"

"Tomorrow."

"Oh." She gave a sort of half chuckle and leaned her face against his hand. "Lennier?"

"Yes?"

"This is probably the best night I've had since...since Talia died. Thank you."

"You are most welcome. Susan?"

"Yes?"

"May I kiss you goodnight?"

Her heartbeat quickened. She nodded mutely.

"It is alright if you do not wish to. I merely thought-" he was abruptly interrupted by her kiss. It was soft, tender, chaste, even.

"Are we still on for Wednesday's lesson?"

"If you'd like."

"I would. Now go away; I need to sleep."

He smiled sheepishly, face far redder than normal, then took a step back. He took her hand in his, bowed, and kissed it. She grinned as he turned to leave.

"Lennier-"

"Yes?" He said, turning back.

She took two quick steps toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. He, in turn, rested his hands gently on her hips.

"Thank you," she said.

"Good night," he said.


End file.
